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1. Multi-scale temporal variability in meltwater contributions in a tropical glacierized watershed

   https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-405-2019  

   Saberi, Leila ; McLaughlin, Rachel T. ; Ng, G.-H. Crystal ; La Frenierre, Jeff ; Wickert, Andrew D. ; Baraer, Michel ; Zhi, Wei ; Li, Li ; Mark, Bryan G. ( January 2019 , Hydrology and Earth System Sciences)

   Abstract. Climate models predict amplified warming at high elevations in low latitudes,making tropical glacierized regions some of the most vulnerable hydrologicalsystems in the world. Observations reveal decreasing streamflow due toretreating glaciers in the Andes, which hold 99% of all tropicalglaciers. However, the timescales over which meltwater contributes tostreamflow and the pathways it takes – surface and subsurface – remainuncertain, hindering our ability to predict how shrinking glaciers willimpact water resources. Two major contributors to this uncertainty are thesparsity of hydrologic measurements in tropical glacierized watersheds andthe complication of hydrograph separation where there is year-round glaciermelt. We address these challenges using a multi-method approach that employsrepeat hydrochemical mixing model analysis, hydroclimatic time seriesanalysis, and integrated watershed modeling. Each of these approachesinterrogates distinct timescale relationships among meltwater, groundwater,and stream discharge. Our results challenge the commonly held conceptualmodel that glaciers buffer discharge variability. Instead, in a subhumidwatershed on Volcán Chimborazo, Ecuador, glacier melt drives nearly allthe variability in discharge (Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.89 insimulations), with glaciers contributing a broad range of 20%–60%or wider of discharge, mostly (86%) through surface runoff on hourlytimescales, but also through infiltration that increases annual groundwatercontributions by nearly 20%. We further found thatmore »rainfall may enhanceglacier melt contributions to discharge at timescales that complement glaciermelt production, possibly explaining why minimum discharge occurred at thestudy site during warm but dry El Niño conditions, which typicallyheighten melt in the Andes. Our findings caution against extrapolations fromisolated measurements: stream discharge and glacier melt contributions intropical glacierized systems can change substantially at hourly tointerannual timescales, due to climatic variability and surface to subsurfaceflow processes.

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2. Influence of infrastructure on water quality and greenhouse gas dynamics in urban streams

   https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2831-2017  

   Smith, Rose M. ; Kaushal, Sujay S. ; Beaulieu, Jake J. ; Pennino, Michael J. ; Welty, Claire ( January 2017 , Biogeosciences)

   Streams and rivers are significant sources of nitrous oxide (N₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and methane (CH₄) globally, and watershed management can alter greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from streams. We hypothesized that urban infrastructure significantly alters downstream water quality and contributes to variability in GHG saturation and emissions. We measured gas saturation and estimated emission rates in headwaters of two urban stream networks (Red Run and Dead Run) of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study Long-Term Ecological Research project. We identified four combinations of stormwater and sanitary infrastructure present in these watersheds, including: (1) stream burial, (2) inline stormwater wetlands, (3) riparian/floodplain preservation, and (4) septic systems. We selected two first-order catchments in each of these categories and measured GHG concentrations, emissions, and dissolved inorganic and organic carbon (DIC and DOC) and nutrient concentrations biweekly for 1 year. From a water quality perspective, the DOC : NO₃⁻ ratio of streamwater was significantly different across infrastructure categories. Multiple linear regressions including DOC : NO₃⁻ and other variables (dissolved oxygen, DO; total dissolved nitrogen, TDN; and temperature) explained much of the statistical variation in nitrous oxide (N₂O, r² =  0.78), carbon dioxide (CO₂, r² =  0.78), and methane (CH₄, r² =  0.50) saturation in stream water. We measured N₂O saturation ratios, which were among the highest reported in the literaturemore »for streams, ranging from 1.1 to 47 across all sites and dates. N₂O saturation ratios were highest in streams draining watersheds with septic systems and strongly correlated with TDN. The CO₂ saturation ratio was highly correlated with the N₂O saturation ratio across all sites and dates, and the CO₂ saturation ratio ranged from 1.1 to 73. CH₄ was always supersaturated, with saturation ratios ranging from 3.0 to 2157. Longitudinal surveys extending form headwaters to third-order outlets of Red Run and Dead Run took place in spring and fall. Linear regressions of these data yielded significant negative relationships between each gas with increasing watershed size as well as consistent relationships between solutes (TDN or DOC, and DOC : TDN ratio) and gas saturation. Despite a decline in gas saturation between the headwaters and stream outlet, streams remained saturated with GHGs throughout the drainage network, suggesting that urban streams are continuous sources of CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O. Our results suggest that infrastructure decisions can have significant effects on downstream water quality and greenhouse gases, and watershed management strategies may need to consider coupled impacts on urban water and air quality.« less
3. Plynlimon research catchment hydrochemistry

   https://doi.org/10.5285/44095e17-43b0-45d4-a781-aab4f72da025  

   Neal, C ; Kirchner, J ; Reynolds, B ( January 2013 )

   Abstract

   This dataset includes rainfall, cloud, river and stream hydro-chemistry of the Plynlimon research catchments. The data is from weekly monitoring of stream hydrochemistry of the River Hafren (Severn) at both the Lower and Upper Hafren site from 1998, stream hydrochemistry of the River Hore at the Lower Hore site from 1983 and Upper Hore site from 1984 as well as rainfall hydrochemistry near the Carreg Wen meteorological site from 1983 and cloud hydrochemistry near the Carreg Wen meteorological site from 1990. Data for over 50 chemical determinands are presented alongside data for some in-situ measurements such as water temperature. Full descriptions of the analytical methods used for each determinand is included. The Plynlimon research catchments lie within the headwaters of the River Severn and the River Wye in the uplands of mid-Wales. Intensive and long-term monitoring within the catchments underpins a wealth of hydrological and hydro-chemical research; other linked datasets include river flow, meteorology and a variety of detailed spatial datasets representing the topography, soils and rivers of the catchments. Monitoring is funded by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, and is ongoing since 1968.

   Methods

   Originally designed to improve understanding of water use by coniferous forests, monitoring within the Plynlimon research catchments has subsequently developed into a multi-disciplinary project underpinning a wealth of hydrological research. The stream hydrochemistry dataset is a combination of chemical determinands and in-situ physical properties. Samples are taken on an approximately weekly basis and analysed in laboratories for approximately 50 chemical determinands. The laboratory analysis has been undertaken at different locations using different equipment during the years of monitoring represented within the dataset. Details of the analytical methods used for each determinand are included within the dataset. The information provided is presented as raw data which have not been modified to include "less than" values when the numbers are less than the lowest quotable value. This is done so as to allow the data to be used for research purposes including detailed statistical analysis where inclusion of less than values would be problematic. The data are thus "uncensored" for research purposes and include in places values that are negative due to analytical uncertainties and the extremely low concentrations of some of the determinands. The data are provided in good faith with the expectation that they will be used in a positive and constructive manner. It is up to the user to resolve which way to use and interpret the data and information on full methodologies and less than values is provided within the metadata files. We whole heartedly encourage the use of these data for research and educational purposes bearing in mind that it is uncensored data and that over the years research directions have evolved to reflect changing project and funding priorities while analytical methodologies have changed. The data provide a legacy from many years' research involving scientists, analysts and field workers who in many cases have now retired. While we have done our best to provide all the information possible, in many cases it will be not be possible to respond to detailed enquiries about the earlier parts of the record.
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4. Coronal Hole Detection and Open Magnetic Flux

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac090a  

   Linker, Jon A. ; Heinemann, Stephan G. ; Temmer, Manuela ; Owens, Mathew J. ; Caplan, Ronald M. ; Arge, Charles N. ; Asvestari, Eleanna ; Delouille, Veronique ; Downs, Cooper ; Hofmeister, Stefan J. ; et al ( August 2021 , The Astrophysical Journal)

   Abstract Many scientists use coronal hole (CH) detections to infer open magnetic flux. Detection techniques differ in the areas that they assign as open, and may obtain different values for the open magnetic flux. We characterize the uncertainties of these methods, by applying six different detection methods to deduce the area and open flux of a near-disk center CH observed on 2010 September 19, and applying a single method to five different EUV filtergrams for this CH. Open flux was calculated using five different magnetic maps. The standard deviation (interpreted as the uncertainty) in the open flux estimate for this CH ≈ 26%. However, including the variability of different magnetic data sources, this uncertainty almost doubles to 45%. We use two of the methods to characterize the area and open flux for all CHs in this time period. We find that the open flux is greatly underestimated compared to values inferred from in situ measurements (by 2.2–4 times). We also test our detection techniques on simulated emission images from a thermodynamic MHD model of the solar corona. We find that the methods overestimate the area and open flux in the simulated CH, but the average error in the flux ismore »only about 7%. The full-Sun detections on the simulated corona underestimate the model open flux, but by factors well below what is needed to account for the missing flux in the observations. Under-detection of open flux in coronal holes likely contributes to the recognized deficit in solar open flux, but is unlikely to resolve it.« less
5. Understanding spatial variability of methane fluxes in Arctic wetlands through footprint modelling

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab4d32  

   Reuss-Schmidt, Kassandra ; Levy, Peter ; Oechel, Walter ; Tweedie, Craig ; Wilson, Cathy ; Zona, Donatella ( December 2019 , Environmental Research Letters)

   The Arctic is warming at twice the rate of the global mean. This warming could further stimulate methane (CH₄) emissions from northern wetlands and enhance the greenhouse impact of this region. Arctic wetlands are extremely heterogeneous in terms of geochemistry, vegetation, microtopography, and hydrology, and therefore CH₄fluxes can differ dramatically within the metre scale. Eddy covariance (EC) is one of the most useful methods for estimating CH₄fluxes in remote areas over long periods of time. However, when the areas sampled by these EC towers (i.e. tower footprints) are by definition very heterogeneous, due to encompassing a variety of environmental conditions and vegetation types, modelling environmental controls of CH₄emissions becomes even more challenging, confounding efforts to reduce uncertainty in baseline CH₄emissions from these landscapes. In this study, we evaluated the effect of footprint variability on CH₄fluxes from two EC towers located in wetlands on the North Slope of Alaska. The local domain of each of these sites contains well developed polygonal tundra as well as a drained thermokarst lake basin. We found that the spatiotemporal variability of the footprint, has a significant influence on the observed CH₄fluxes, contributing between 3% and 33% of the variance, depending on site, time period,more »and modelling method. Multiple indices were used to define spatial heterogeneity, and their explanatory power varied depending on site and season. Overall, the normalised difference water index had the most consistent explanatory power on CH₄fluxes, though generally only when used in concert with at least one other spatial index. The spatial bias (defined here as the difference between the mean for the 0.36 km²domain around the tower and the footprint-weighted mean) was between ∣51∣% and ∣18∣% depending on the index. This study highlights the need for footprint modelling to infer the representativeness of the carbon fluxes measured by EC towers in these highly heterogeneous tundra ecosystems, and the need to evaluate spatial variability when upscaling EC site-level data to a larger domain.

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